Browns signing Joe Flacco to one-year deal as 40-year-old veteran returns to revamped QB room

The Cleveland Browns are bringing in a familiar face at quarterback, adding more depth to a revamped quarterback room. Cleveland is signing Joe Flacco to a one-year deal worth $4 million that includes up to $13 million in incentives, CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones confirms.

Given the nature of Flacco’s contract, he’ll compete with Kenny Pickett and Deshaun Watson for the starting job in Cleveland, though the latter is sidelined after re-tearing his Achilles last season. The Browns acquired Pickett from the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for Dorian Thompson-Robinson, part of the remaking of the quarterback room after Watson struggled in his seven starts last season.

The Browns restructured Watson’s contract this offseason in order to create $36 million in cap space. He has two years remaining on a five-year deal which he was fully guaranteed $230 million. He’s owed $46 million in each of the next two seasons, despite the Browns being aggressive in upgrading the quarterback room. Watson, meanwhile, is rehabbing at the Browns practice facility as he tries to work his way back from the brutal injury. 

Flacco’s first stint in Cleveland was something Hollywood writers couldn’t write the script for. Flacco, who wasn’t on an NFL roster until late November, led the Browns to playoffs during the 2023 season as he completed 60.3% of his passes for 1,616 yards with 13 touchdowns to eight interceptions in five games (90.2 passer rating) — averaging 323.8 passing yards per game. 

Flacco was the oldest player to win the Comeback Player of the Year award since Jim Martin in 1963, as both players were 39 years old at the time they won the award. He led the NFL in pass attempts (204), passing yards (1,316), passing touchdowns (13) and interceptions (eight) from Week 13 through 17 of that 2023 season — four of which were starts.

Signing a one-year deal with Indianapolis Colts last season, the 40-year-old Flacco started six games and completed 65.3% of his passes for 1,761 yards with 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions with a 90.5 passer rating. The Colts went 2-4 in his starts as Flacco replaced Anthony Richardson due to an oblique injury for two games and due to a Richardson benching in November. 

Flacco will give the NFL another go-round for 18th season, one of two currently active quarterbacks to play in his 40s (Aaron Rodgers is the other).